assessment in higher education (Asima Shahzadi)

1. *HIGHER
EDUCATION
Course Code 828
Asima shahzadi
asimashahzadi7@gmail.com

2. UNIT # 07
ASSESSMENT IN HIGHER
EDUCATION

3. Objectives of session
After successful completion, students will be able to
know about:
• Critical issues in assessment
• Recommend reforms to improve Examination
system of Pakistan
• The role of Teacher and Learner in Assessment
• Types of entrance tests in Pakistan and guidelines

4. The Assessment
• Educational assessment is the process of
documenting, usually in measurable terms,
knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs.
• Assessment is a mechanism for providing instructors
with data for improving their teaching methods and
for guiding and motivating students to be actively
involved in their own learning.

5. Reasons for Assessing
• Selection
• Certification
• Describing
• Aiding learning
• Improving teaching

6. Modes of Assessment
• There are three modes of assessment:
• Diagnostic
• Formative
• Summative

7. Diagnostic Assessment
• Intended to improve the learner’s experience and
their level of achievement.
• Diagnostic assessments are used to determine
students’ level of knowledge, skills, and
understandings at the beginning of a course,
grade level, unit and/or lesson.
• It is often used before teaching or when a
problem arises.

8. Types of Diagnostic Assessment
• Pre-tests on content and abilities in order to get an
understanding about the students’ knowledge level.
• Self-assessments which is conducted to identifying
skills and competencies of the students.
• Brief interviews which are conducted in order to
get an idea about the problems of the students which
they faced in the classroom)

9. Formative Assessment
• Formative assessment provides feedback and information
during the instructional process, while learning is taking
place, and while learning is occurring.
• Measures student progress but it can also assess
instructor’s progress.
• A primary focus of formative assessment is to identify
areas that may need improvement.
• These assessments typically are not graded and act as a
gauge to students’ learning progress and to determine
teaching effectiveness

10. Types of Formative Assessment
• Observations
• Homework exercises
• Question and answer sessions
• Conferences between the instructor and student
sessions
• In-class activities

11. Summative Assessment
• Summative assessment takes place after the learning has
been completed and provides information and feedback
that sums up the teaching and learning process.
• Rubrics, often developed around a set of standards or
expectations, can be used for summative assessment.
• Assess what has been learned and how well it was learned.
• More product-oriented

12. Types of Summative Assessment
• Examinations
• Final examination
• Term papers
• Projects
• Portfolios
• Performances
• Student evaluation of the course
• Instructor self-evaluation

13. Principles of Good Practice for
Assessing Student Learning
• The assessment of student learning begins with
educational values.
• Assessment is most effective when it reflects an
understanding of learning as multidimensional, integrated,
and revealed in performance over time.
• Assessment works best when the programs it seeks to
improve have clear, explicitly stated purposes.
• Assessment works best when it is ongoing not episodic.
• Assessment fosters wider improvement

14. Examination System
• Examination is both a subject of research and the basic
data for research.
• It is a vital part of the teaching, learning process, and
educational development.
• Efficacy of an education system, basically, depends upon
the usefulness and effectiveness of its examination
system.
• Assess the competency of students’ learning for
admission but also for employment.

15. Functions and Objectives of
Examination (Policy,1992)
• Provide a systematic evaluation system to judge to what extent
the educational aims, goals and objectives have been achieved.
• Evaluate the students’ academic achievement in the prescribed
contents in a particular period of time.
• Assess the students' educational development in respect of
personality and character building.
• Develop the students’ study habits, planned research work and
competition.
• Provide feedback to the institutions and to make decisions
about reward and scholarships.

16. Policy Guidelines approved by
HEC for semester system (2006)
• Switch over for the semester system to attain harmony and
uniformity.
• Relevant professional training for staff related to semester system.
• Choice of questions abolished from year 2007.
• No Grace marks by the year 2007.
• The question papers for assessment of students’ conceptual
knowledge.
• (MCQs) and Short Essay Questions (SEQs) should be encouraged
for academic achievement and Long Essay Questions (LEQ)
can/may be used for writing ability.
• The practical / project should always be evaluated by an external.

17. Examination Reforms
• Minimize Mal-practices
• Frequent Evaluation
• Discussions on Common Mistakes of Students in Examination
• Comprehensive and Balanced Evaluation
• Attitude towards being examined should be changed
• Minimize delay in the conduct of examination
• Meaningful and Gainful Curriculum
• Avoid Selective-Study and Guess-Work

18. Teacher and Learners’ Role in
Assessment
• Teacher as:
• Performer
• Composer
• Conductor
• Critic
• Learner as:
• Receiver
• Detective
• Generator
• Facilitator

19. Entrance Test and its Importance
• Entrance test is a test that many educational institutions
use to select students for admission.
• Entrance tests access your logical reasoning and thinking
ability. The tests are strictly timed.
• Different types of questions include Verbal Ability,
Numeric Ability, Abstract Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning,
Mechanical Reasoning, Fault Diagnosis, Data Checking
and Work Sample.
• Entrance test are important with respect to placement
purpose and choosing a career.

20. Types of Entrance Tests in
Pakistan
• UET ECAT
• MCAT
• SAT
• NTS
• GRE
• LCAT
• NUST
• COMSATS-NTS TEST
• University Own Based Entry Tests

21. How to prepare for an Entrance
Test
• Learn the basics
• Everything is important
• Practice
• Know your weak points
• Do not waste time
• Be careful while attempting
• Avoid gaps
• Take care of yourself